This World War II memorial honoring all veterans of that conflict stands on East broad Street in downtown Eufaula Alabama. It was erected by Battery D 104th Separate Battalion, AL Coastal Artillery in honor of all World War II veterans.
From what we have been able to piece together, the Alabama Coastal Artillery was federalized and placed under the command of the US Army during World War II. The men of this battalion deployed on board the Queen Mary to fight WWII in Australia.
The monument stands in a place of honor near the former post office in downtown Eufaula the middle of East and West Broad Street, and a tree-lined median.
From the book “Candid Comments, Selected Columns From the Eufala Tribune, (1958-2006) by Joel P. Smith, we found this snippet on the Google bookstore: (
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[page 37] Lt Col. Robert MacKenzie commanded battery D, 104th Coast Artillery (AA), Separate Battalion during World War II. The Eufaula unit was mustered into federal service November 23, 1940, with a full wartime strength of hundred 54 eventually. Proud citizens gave them a sendoff downtown on February 18, 1941.
From the Oz at War website: (
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"104TH COASTAL ARTILLERY (AA SEPARATE) BATTALION
40TH ANTI-AIRCRAFT BRIGADE
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2
104th Coastal Artillery Battalion (AA Separate) arrived in Sydney on the "Queen Mary" on 28 March 1942. The 94th Coastal Artillery (AA) Regiment and the 101st Coastal Artillery Battalion (AA Separate) also travelled on the "Queen Mary". These three units and the 208th Coastal Artillery (AA) Regiment formed the 40th Coastal Artillery Brigade.
The following units arrived on the Queen Mary:-
40th Coastal Artillery Brigade
94th Coastal Artillery (AA) Regiment
101st Coastal Artillery (AA) Battalion
104th Coastal Artillery (AA) Battalion
5th Station Hospital
47th Station Hospital
8th Air Base Group
11th Materiel Squadron
43rd Bomb Group, 64th Bomb Squadron
43rd Bomb Group, 65th Bomb Squadron
441st Ordnance
73rd Ordnance
15th Signal Platoon
2nd Quartermaster Detachment
Air Corps Replacement Group
The 104th boarded a train and headed for Queensland. The 104th CA Bn comprised:-
HQ Battery
Battery "A"
Battery "B"
Battery "C"
Battery "D"
The 104th CA Bn was issued with 48 only .50" calibre machine guns?? The 104th deployed to Archerfield and Lowood in southern Queensland.
Battery "A" & Battery "B" of the 104th CA Battalion were deployed to Horn Island at some stage. They were the first ant-aircraft units on the island. They had detachments from Battery "A" and "B" on Goodes Island and Millman Island. Colonel C.H. Cowart was the Commanding Officer of the 104th on Horn Island.
Battery "H" of the 94th Coastal Artillery (AA) Regiment was on Horn Island at the same time. While on Horn Island, the 104th and the men of 32 Squadron RAAF would host a concert in the airmen's mess.
Battery "A" and "B" of the 104th boarded a ship and left Horn Island on 28 November 1942. Their stores, ammunition and gun sites were handed over to the 157 LAA bty.
Headquarters 104th Antiaircraft Artillery AW Battalion - Battalion History"